Perry zings Christie over N.Y. hopeful

The New York GOP gubernatorial candidate snubbed by 2016 presidential prospect Chris Christie was asked to stay away from a party confab this week — but he went anyway after getting backup from other Republican governors eying their own national campaigns.

The drama surrounding Christie, the New Jersey governor and Republican Governors Association chairman, and Rob Astorino, who trails Andrew Cuomo by a wide margin in the polls, led to a fresh round of negative headlines for Christie as he seeks to regain his political footing.

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Astorino was asked by intermediaries to steer clear of an RGA meeting this week in Aspen, Colorado, CNN reported Thursday. The request came after Astorino lashed back at Christie for saying the RGA doesn’t invest in “landslides” or “lost causes” when asked about raising money for the New Yorker’s campaign.

GOP sources familiar with the matter confirmed the request. But governors — including Rick Perry, the Texan who left the post as RGA chair in 2011 to mount a presidential campaign — urged Astorino to come, sources said, so he went anyway.

Perry tweaked Christie by posing with Astorino for a photo he tweeted out.

“Glad to be with my buddy @RobAstorino in Aspen,” Perry wrote in the tweet, his arm slung around Astorino.

Christie’s initial remark earlier this week infuriated Astorino allies and some elites who accused Christie of siding with Cuomo over the GOP. And it allowed potential White House rivals like Perry to raise questions about Christie’s loyalty.

Astorino aides said other governors have offered to come to New York to help him, including a number of potential 2016 candidates. The list includes Perry, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

The aides also said Astorino bumped into Christie on Wednesday night in Aspen and had a brief conversation. They wouldn’t reveal what was said but suggested the chat didn’t go well.

“The Aspen trip made it clear that governors from around the nation will be helping County Executive Astorino become Governor Astorino. It also made it clear that RGA Chairman Chris Christie will not be among them. We can live with that, and we will move on,” said Astorino spokeswoman Jessica Proud.